Darroch Ball MP
Spokesperson for Social Development
24 SEPTEMBER 2015
Yet Another Report While Our Vulnerable Children Wait
Seven years on and the government is still unable to take any action on the appalling outcomes for New Zealand children
in state care, says New Zealand First.
“With children at real risk of further harm, all the government has managed to do is release yet another report,” says
New Zealand First Spokesperson for Social Development Darroch Ball.
“When 90 per cent of young people in state care are on a benefit before they reach 21, we want to know why the
government hasn’t addressed their needs.
“They either have an investment strategy or they don’t,” says Mr Ball.
“We expected to see measures put in place to address the ongoing issues of Child Youth and Family well before the final
report from the expert advisory panel.
“The panel’s report simply re-confirmed that we can no longer trust CYFS to look after our vulnerable children and that
we have a huge job to do to fix the current situation.
“We have no confidence in the emerging system either, especially when today’s report confirms the governments new
Children’s Teams are not working either.
“These children can’t wait for years. The government needs to act urgently to secure the safety of our children and
their futures,” says Mr Ball.
ENDS